To simulate Digital Forensics projects utilizing NS2 that encompasses recreating network activities, which can later be investigated to know network behaviours, identify intrusions, or retrieve evidence after a cybercrime incident. Even though NS2 is not inherently created for direct digital forensics, it can be utilized to replicate network traffic, attacks, and communication patterns, which could lead to forensic investigation scenarios.
The following is a guide on how to replicate Digital Forensics projects in NS2:
Steps to Simulate Digital Forensics Projects in NS2
- Install NS2
Make sure that NS2 is installed on the machine:
sudo apt-get install ns2
- Key Components in Digital Forensics Simulation
- Attacker Node: A node generating malicious or suspicious traffic.
- Victim Node: A node that is the target of an attack or included in suspicious network activity.
- Normal Traffic: Legitimate traffic patterns for comparison with malicious traffic.
- Logging/Tracing: The simulation makes trace files that can be examined to recreate events, trace actions, or detect anomalies (similar to how forensics would work in real-life investigations).
- Common Digital Forensics Scenarios
- Traffic Analysis: Recreating network events, like file transfers or communications, for forensic investigation.
- Intrusion Detection and Analysis: Investigating network traces to identify unauthorized or suspicious activities.
- Evidence Recovery: Replicating how forensic analysts retrieve and examine data from packet captures and record files.
- TCL Script for Digital Forensics Simulation
Example 1: Network Activity Logging and Analysis
This instance replicates normal traffic among the nodes and malicious traffic from an attacker. The records generated by the simulation can be investigated for forensic purposes.
# Create a simulator object
set ns [new Simulator]
# Open trace and NAM files
set tracefile [open “digital_forensics.tr” w]
$ns trace-all $tracefile
set namfile [open “digital_forensics.nam” w]
$ns namtrace-all $namfile
# Define nodes (Client, Server, and Attacker)
set client [$ns node]
set server [$ns node]
set attacker [$ns node]
# Set positions for visualization
$client set X_ 100
$client set Y_ 100
$server set X_ 300
$server set Y_ 100
$attacker set X_ 200
$attacker set Y_ 100
# Define wired links between nodes
$ns duplex-link $client $server 100Mb 10ms DropTail
$ns duplex-link $attacker $server 100Mb 10ms DropTail
# Normal traffic from client to server (TCP traffic)
set tcp_client [new Agent/TCP]
$ns attach-agent $client $tcp_client
set tcp_sink_server [new Agent/TCPSink]
$ns attach-agent $server $tcp_sink_server
$ns connect $tcp_client $tcp_sink_server
# Application to simulate normal client-server communication
set app_client [new Application/Traffic/FTP]
$app_client attach-agent $tcp_client
$ns at 1.0 “$app_client start”
# Malicious traffic from attacker to server (DoS or flood attack via UDP)
set udp_attacker [new Agent/UDP]
$ns attach-agent $attacker $udp_attacker
set udp_sink_server [new Agent/Null]
$ns attach-agent $server $udp_sink_server
$ns connect $udp_attacker $udp_sink_server
# Simulate malicious UDP traffic (flooding) to disrupt server
set app_attacker [new Application/Traffic/CBR]
$app_attacker attach-agent $udp_attacker
$app_attacker set packetSize_ 1024
$app_attacker set interval_ 0.01
$ns at 2.0 “$app_attacker start”
# End the simulation after 10 seconds
$ns at 10.0 “finish”
$ns run
- Run the Simulation
When the simulation script is finish then we run it with:
ns digital_forensics.tcl
- Analyze the Trace File
The simulation generates a trace file (digital_forensics.tr). This trace file comprises detailed records of packet transmissions, delays, and events, which can be investigated as part of the forensic process. For instance, we can extract and examine:
- Timestamps: To reconstruct events in the order they occurred.
- Source/Destination Addresses: To observe which nodes communicated and which node generated malicious traffic.
- Packet Type and Size: To know what kind of traffic was being transmitted.
Sample AWK script to extract specific logs:
awk ‘{if ($1 == “s” && $3 == “UDP”) print $0}’ digital_forensics.tr
This script filters out UDP packets transmitted from the attacker node that could be part of a malicious flood attack.
- Forensic Use Cases
The simulation’s trace information can be investigated for several forensic use cases:
- Traffic Analysis: To find out when and how much data was transmitted among nodes.
- Packet Recovery: Detect particular packets (or groups of packets), which could be suspicious.
- Intrusion Detection: Identify abnormal traffic patterns, such as a high rate of UDP traffic (potential DoS attack).
- Session Reconstruction: Recreate communication sessions among the nodes that permitting forensic investigators to monitor what was communicated.
- Advanced Digital Forensics Simulations
8.1 Man-in-the-Middle Attack (MITM) Forensics
Replicate an MITM attack in which an attacker intercepts communication among two nodes. The trace file can be examined to monitor what data was intercepted, changed, or stolen.
8.2 Packet Sniffing
Replicate a scenario in which an attacker captures traffic among the nodes, and the forensic goal is to find out which data was compromised.
8.3 DDoS Forensics
Mimic a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack from several attackers and then use the trace files to detect the attackers’ IPs, packet rates, and attack duration.
8.4 Data Exfiltration
Replicate a data exfiltration attack in which sensitive data is transmitted to an external attacker. Forensic analysts can reconstruct the session and observe what data was exfiltrated.
- Extending the Simulation
We can prolong this simple simulation by:
- Simulating Encryption and Decryption: Encrypt communication among the nodes and replicate forensic recovery of encrypted data.
- Adding IDS/IPS Mechanisms: Execute an Intrusion Detection or Prevention System, which records suspicious activities for future analysis.
- Forensic Data Collection Systems: Insert logging nodes or centralized systems, which gather and archive all network traffic for forensic purposes.
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